U.S. hits Vietnam with large tariffs over Chinese language metal

The U.S. is slapping heavy taxes on metal imports from Vietnam, saying China is utilizing the nation as a approach to dodge earlier penalties.

Sure metal merchandise Vietnam is promoting to the U.S. are being produced from Chinese language supplies, the U.S. Division of Commerce mentioned in a statement late Tuesday.

American steelmakers complained final yr that Chinese language corporations gave the impression to be avoiding huge tariffs by diverting merchandise to Vietnam for “minor processing” earlier than they have been shipped to the U.S.

The Commerce Division took up the case in November. It hit Vietnam on Tuesday with duties of greater than 500% on cold-rolled metal that is primarily based on Chinese language supplies and over 200% on corrosion-resistant metal with comparable origins.

Metal has for years been a significant level of commerce friction between the U.S. and China, the world’s largest producer of the metallic.

American and European steelmakers have accused China of dumping its undesirable metallic on different markets, pushing down costs, forcing rivals to shut their vegetation and killing 1000’s of jobs.

Beijing has defended itself, saying overcapacity is a world downside introduced on by weaker demand.

The Chinese language and Vietnamese governments did not instantly reply to requests for remark Wednesday.

Final month, a European Union company mentioned it had additionally discovered that Chinese language metal was being rerouted via Vietnam to evade tariffs, according to Reuters.

President Trump has criticized China previously over metal, accusing it of dishonest on costs. However his administration hasn’t but introduced the outcomes of a separate investigation into whether or not shipments of metal from different nations pose a danger to nationwide safety.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had mentioned his staff would announce its findings, which may end in huge tariffs, by the tip of June. However Trump told The Wall Street Journal in July that he wished to deal with a number of different huge targets, together with passing tax cuts, earlier than he returned to the investigation.

The U.S. Commerce Division mentioned Tuesday that it might make its closing ruling on the Vietnam metal case in February.